Flush pans



June 8, 1965 T. E. HosKlNs ETAL 3,187,922

FLUSH PANS Filed May 18. 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS. Thomas E. Holskins Frederic/r J. 0 Rei/ly THE /R A 7' TORNE YS June 8, 1965 T. E. HosKlNs ETAL 3,137,922

FLUSH PANS Filed May 18, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheel 2 BY Frederick J. O'Re/l y m4 M 5%@ THE/? ATTORNEYS 5 TIK WS @J Vm 8 m m 5 5 5 m 5 0 .m Y@ M. 2 5. I7

A M U .0. l F o 5 2 s. 9 f2 5 W 8 l 6 n 5 `A n .1.. mmm( United States Patent O 3,187,922 FLUSH PANS Thomas E. Hoskins, Moon Township, Allegheny County,

and Frederick Il. GReilly, Bethel Park, Pa., assignors,

by mesne assignments, to Raceways, Inc., New Brunswick, NJ., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 18, 1962, Ser. No. 195,788 4 Claims. (Cl. 220-3.4)

This invention relates t-o ilush pans used in closures for underiloor wiring systems. More particularly, it relates to a twoapiece flush pan assembly which protects the door covering when the closure is open for access .tothe underiioor wiring system.

In modern buildings, particularly large oliice buildings,

the use of underoor wiring systems is very common. Such system-s protect against electrical obsolesence by providing Ia means whereby electrical outlets can be made available 4at any location in the door. Access openings or hand holes are spaced throughout the door providing a plurality of vertical openings into the undersioor wiring system. These :openings are generally provided with vertically adjustable closures which include Ia cover plate. The closure is designed so that .the cover plate will be flush with the licor, usually concrete. lFrequently, the concrete iioor` is covered with a linished flooring material 4of Wood, linoleum, .tile or other suitable flooring material. In such instances, it is desirable to have the finished flooring material covering as much of the access opening as is possible. However, .the portion of the linished licoring material covering the access opening must be separate from the remainder of the` flooring material if the opening is to be readily accessible.

Lit is now the general practice to lay the desired linished ooring material around the access opening. A flush pan is placed on top of the cover plate and a piece of the linished ilooring material cut to lit inside the linoleum pan. However, to remove the cover plate, it is necessary to remove the flush pan. 'In removing the ilush pan, the edges of the finished flooring material surrounding the access opening may be damaged. This invention provides a flush pan which protects the edges of the ilooring material surrounding the access `opening and the edges of the lin-ished ooring material on the cover plate. Essentially, it consists of a two-piece iiush pan. One piece of the ush pan protects the outer edges of the linoleum or other finished iloorng material and is not removed when the closure is opened. A second piece or inner section tits around the cover plate. It is removed with the cover plate when the closure is opened and protects the edges of the `iiuished flooring material covering the cover plate.

The present preferred embodiment of this invent-ion is shown in the accompanying drawing wherein,

FIGURE 1 is .a plan view of the ilush pan of this invention positioned in a closure;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional View taken on line II-II -o FIG-URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of the inner section of the iiush pan of this invention;

fEGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV-IV of FIGURE. 3; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the scction shown in FIGURE 2.

In the drawing, an access opening 12 into an undertloor wiring system -is shown. Any conventional means may be use-d to .provide an access opening into the underlioor wiring system, such -as a junction box or a header duct. =In the drawing, the access opening is shown through a junction box. A shoulder 14 on the junction box surrounds the access opening. A plurality of bosses 16 are formed integral with the shoulder and extend into the `ice access opening. *Each boss has Ya threaded bore 18 'through it.

A closure for use in such access openings with which this invention may be used is fully described in a co-pending application of Thom-as E. Hoskins tile-d December 15, 1960, entitled Closure for Access Openings and Method of Using .the Same bearing Serial No. 75,983 an-d now` Patent No. 3,081,896. It comprises an annular adjusting ring 20 which is dimensioned to lit around the perimeter of the opening 12. The ring is T-shaped in section and has a vertical flange 21 and a horizontal web Z2. A plurali-ty ot lugs 213 extend inwardly from the horizontal web Z2 of the adjusting ring. Each lug has a slot Z4, the ring andthe lugs being so dimensioned and positioned that the slots 24 may be aligned with the bores 18 of the bosses 16.

Adjusting screws 28 engage the threaded bores 1S. The headset the screws 28 have grooves 30 dimensi-oned to receive Iand hold a portion of the lugs 23 from the adjusting ring. Thus, the adjusting ring can be raised or lowered by merely adjusting the screws. An annular gasket 36 rests on 4the outer port-ion of the horizontal web 22 and onthe lugs vextending from the web. A circular cover plate 4t) rests .on the gasket and is fastened to the adjusting ring by screws 42. An Lshaped ring sleeve 44 rests on the shoulder 14 surrounding the access opening and encircles the .adjusting ring.

A ush pan made according to this invention rests on the inner por-tion of the web 22 of the adjusting ring and extends vertically .to the surface of the iinished oor covering. It is composed of two .annular sections, an outer section Sli and an inner section 52. `The flush pan sections can be made of metal or any other suitable material. However, it has been found most desirable from an expense standpoint, including both material costs and fabrication costs, to utilize molded plastic sections. Nylon has proven very satisfactory. lFurthermore, a plastic flush pan can be furnished in a color to match the nished flooring material.

The outer section Sti of the ush pan of this invention is L-shaped in cross lsec-tion. The horizontal leg 5:5 of this section rests on the horizontal web of .the adjusting ring and the vertical leg 56 abuts the vertical flange of the adjusting ring and extends in a vertical direction above the vertical web a distance equal to the thickness of the finished ilocr covering.

The inner section 52 of the flush pan of this invention is U-shaped in cross-section. The base 57 of the U- shaped section iabuts the vertical leg 56 of the L-shaped ysection `and one leg 5S of the U-shaped section rests on the horizontal leg of the L-shaped outer section. The upper leg 59 of .the U-shaped section has la thickness equal to the thickness of the linished tlooring material. The legs 58 and 59 encompass the periphery of the cover plate 4l). As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, slots 62 are cut in the lower leg of the inner section. 'Ilhese slots provide a means whereby the inner section of the flush pan may be readily snapped o-ver the cover plate 40 without bending or dcforming the entiresection as would be necesaiy if the lower leg was soli-d.

A piece` of finished ilooring material 64 is cut to i-t over the cover plate inside the leg 59 of the inner section of the flush pan. The material is preferably cemented to the cover plate. In this manner, the cover plate 40, the inner Isection 52 of the ush pan, and the piece of flooring material 64 become a single unit of the assembly. The leg 59 of the llush pan will protect the edge of the material 64 from damage when the cover plate is rc moved.

The lower leg of the inner section of the flush pan of this invention is shorter vthan the horizontal leg of the 3 outer section of the ilush pan. A U-shaped spring clip d6 is positioned on the exposed edge of the horizontal leg 55 of the outer `section of the iiush pan yand holds the outer section` to the adju-sting ring 20. Thus, the -outer section of the Hush pan is no-t removed from the closure when the cover plate section, includ-ing the cover plate 40, the inner section 52 of the flush pan, and the flooring materiial 64, is removed for access to the underlioor system. The vertical leg y56 of the outer section of the iiush pan protects the edges of `the flooring material sur-rounding the access opening.

To install the iiush pan of this invention in a closure as described above, the adjusting ring is positioned, by means of the adjusting screws, so that the top surface of the vertical iange is at the same level as the concrete iiooring. The outer section of the iiush pan is positioned on the horizontal web of the adjusting ring and the finished iiooring may be laid around the edges of the vertical leg of the L-shaped outer section. The spring clip is positioned around the adjusting ring fastening the outer section of the ush pan to the adjusting ring. The inner section of the flush pan is positioned around the cover plate and the cover plate and the U-shaped section positioned on the adjusting ring. A piece of iinished flooring is cut to it inside the U-shaped section of the flush pan and on top of the cover plate is cemented thereto. The cover plate is then fastened to the adjusting ring.

l The iinished unit has the upper surface of thel two sections of the flush pan and the floor covering terminating in the same horizontal plane so that a perfectly smooth lioor covering is obtained with a minimum amount of the closure showing.

To remove the cover plate and obtain access to the underoor wiring system, the cover plate, the inner section of the tiush pan and the iinished flooring material cemented to the cover plate are removed as a unit. The U-shaped section of the flush pan protects the edges of the portion of the finished iiooring positioned inside thereof and prevents damage to the edges. The L-shaped section of the ush pan remains in position around the closure opening and protects the edges of the finished flooring material surrounding the opening from damage.

To facilitate removal of the cover unit, the bores through which screws 42 which hold the cover unit to the adjusting ring pass are generally larger than the diameter of thescrews 42. The screws 42 are thus removed and larger screws are threaded into the bores. As these screws abut thev adjusting ring, they elevate the cover unit suiiciently to enable a workman to readily lift the unit completely out of the access opening. i

From the foregoing, it is readily apparent that the double ring construction of the iiush pan of this invention provides a ush pan which protects the iinished flooring material when the closure for the access opening is removed to obtain access into the underoor wiring system. One section of the double ring flush pan remains in position protecting the edges of the iinished flooring surrounding the opening and the other sections of the double ring pan is removed with the cover plate to the closure and protects the section -of the finished iiooring covering the cover plate. v

While this invention has been described in terms of its present preferred embodiment, it should be understood that itrlrnay be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a closure for access openings into undertioor Wiring systems including an adjusting ring having a horizontal web and a vertical flange, an adjusting screw, a cover plate, and a iioor covering, the improvement comprising: a flush pan having two sections, an outer section, L-shaped in cross-section, one leg of the outer section resting on the horizontal web of the adjusting ring and the other leg of the section abutting the vertical flange of the adjusting ring, and an inner section encompassing the periphery of the cover plate, U-shaped in crosssection, one leg thereof resting on the horizontal leg of the outer section and supporting the cover plate, one side `of the base of the inner section abutting the vertical leg of the L-shaped outer section and the other side contacting the edge of the cover plate, the two sections terminating in the same horizontal plane and the same horizontal plane as the Hood covering.

2. In a closure for access opening into undertoor wiring system including an adjusting ring having a horizontal web and a vertical flange, an adjusting screw, a cover plate, and a floor covering, the improvement comprising: a flush p-an having two sections, an outer section, L- shaped in cross-section, one leg of the outer section resting on' the horizontal web of the adjusting ring and the other leg of the section abutting the vertical flange of the adjusting ring, and a resilient inner section, U-shaped in section, encompassing the periphery of the cover plate, the lower leg thereof restingon the horizontal leg of the outer section and having a plurality of slots therein, the uppermost surface of the inner section and said other leg of the outer section terminating in the same horizontal plane as the top surface of the iioor covering to provide a uniform dat surface.

3. In a closure for access openings into underiioor Wiring systems including an adjusting ring having a horizontal web and a vertical flange, an adjusting screw, a cover plate, and a Hoor covering, the improvement comprising: a flush pan having two sections, an outer section, L-shaped in cross-section, one leg of the outer section resting on the horizontal web of the adjusting ring and the other leg of the sectionV abutting the vertical flange of the adjusting ring, and a resilient inner section, U-shaped in section, encompassing the periphery of the cover plate, the lower leg thereof resting on the horizontal leg of the outer section and having a plurality of slots therein, the upperrnost surface of the inner section and said other leg of the outer section terminating in the same horizontal plane as the topV surface of the iioor covering to provide a uniform flat surface, and a spring clip holding the outer section of the flush pan to the adjusting ring whereby the cover plate and inner section of the flush pan can be removed without removing the outer section of the flush pan.

4. In a closure of circular access openings into underfloor wiring systems including an adjusting ring having a horizontal web and a vertical iiange, an adjusting screw, a circular cover plate, and a floor covering, the improvement comprising: an annular iiush pan having two ring-like sections, an outer section, L-shaped in cross section, one leg of the outer section resting on the horizontal web of the adjusting ring and the other leg of the section abutting the vertical flange of the adjusting ring, and a resilient inner section, U-shaped in cross-section, encompassing the periphery of the cover plate, the lower leg thereof resting on the horizontal leg of the outer section and having a plurality of slots therein, the uppermost surface of the inner section and said outer leg of the outer section terminating in the same horizontal plane as the top surface of the oor covering to provide a uniform flat surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,533,759 4/25 Richardson et al. 220-3.7 2,304,292 12/42 Wile 220-9 2,900,010 8/59 Clark 220-3.4 3,029,964 4/62 Hudson et al. 220-3.4 3,070,252 12/62 Reiland 220-3.4 3,081,896 3/63 Hoskins 220--3.4

FOREIGN PATENTS 233,120 5/25 Great Britain.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. EARLE I. DRUMMOND, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,187,922 Juie s, is

Thomas E. Hoskins et al It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered pai ent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read a: corrected below.

Column 3, line 58, for "sections" read section Column 4, line 9,""for "flood" read floor line l0, for "opening" readfopenings line ll, for "system" read systems line 45, for "of" read efor same column 4, line 58, for "outer leg" read other leg Signed and sealed this 26th day of October 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNE Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN A CLOSURE FOR ACCESS OPENINGS INTO UNDERFLOOR WIRING SYSTEMS INCLUDING AN ADJUSTING RING HAVING A HORIZONTAL WEB AND A VERTICAL FLANGE, AN ADJUSTING SCREW, A COVER PLATE, AND A FLOOR COVERING, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: A FLUSH PAN HAVING TWO SECTIONS, AN OUTER SECTION, L-SHAPED IN CROSS-SECTION, ONE LEG OF THE OUTER SECTION RESTING ON THE HORIZONTAL WEB OF THE ADJUSTING RING AND THE OTHER LEG OF THE SECTION ABUTTING THE VERTICAL FLANGE OF THE ADJUSTING RING, AND AN INNER SECTION ENCOMPASSING THE PERIPHERY OF THE COVER PLATE, U-SHAPED IN CROSSSECTION, ONE LEG THEREOF RESTING ON THE HORIZONTAL LEG OF THE OUTER SECTION AND SUPPORTING THE COVER PLATE, ONE SIDE OF THE BASE OF THE INNER SECTION ABUTTING THE VERTICAL LEG OF THE L-SHAPED OUTER SECTION AND THE OTHER SIDE CONTACTING THE EDGE OF THE COVER PLATE, THE TWO SECTIONS TERMINATING IN THE SAME HORIZONTAL PLANE AND THE SAME HORIZONTAL PLANE AS THE FLOOD COVERING. 